Rising dressage star’s breakout season

The walls of McKenzie Burrell’s room are lined with so many ribbons and trophies that you can’t see the wallpaper underneath.

The young dressage competitor has made such a name for herself in the sport that there’s even more accolades that don’t have space and are stashed away in a draw.

At 13 years old, she has quickly risen up the ranks with her pony Dash, who she describes as a very sassy princess and a bit of “plain Jane”.

“Dash plonks around as a level one pony. It’s like we’re installing a new software update. You’ve just got to repeat it.

“Dressage is my favourite because the amount of trust and connection you and your horse go through is awesome. It’s such a beautiful discipline.”

Competing against adults on horses, McKenzie and Dash finished third overall in the South Island’s preliminary graded horse and pony in the VETPRO Super 5 dressage series. She was the only pony rider to earn a placing.

She finished first overall in her South Island age-group event at the Equimatch Pony and young rider Rising Star competition. She also cleaned up the local prizegiving with the first overall pony with Nelson Dressage for the season, first overall graded points for the season, a 70 per cent test score trophy, and the Nelson Dressage Rising Star award for the season.

Her success has seen her selected for training camps in Canterbury as well as qualification to the Horse of the Year show, and she has been a regular competitor at A&P shows around the South Island.

It’s also seen her picked up as a model and brand ambassador for one of the country’s biggest horsewear brands, Punk Ponies.

“I have been really pushing myself towards it, hoping to get a lot further,” she says.

“It’s nice a little Nelson girl got the opportunity to go and compete.”

McKenzie is ambitious, saying her goal is to compete in the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, with plans to attend the Paris Olympics next year as a spectator.

With her coach, Melissa Galloway, predicted to make the New Zealand team to compete in Paris, she says she’s been lucky to have some great people behind her helping to guide her through the process.

“I really like pushing myself to push past the top-notch level pony. You’re teaching the horse fancy dance moves, all with help from Melissa.”

McKenzie was introduced to riding while at kindergarten, where she went on lessons with ponies and never looked back.

Living outside of town, she now has two competition horses, with a jumper called Lucky as well as Dash, and two other horses she’s raising.

She trains multiple times a week, on top of riding for fun with some hacking or going to the beach.

Having learnt the ropes from Edencourt Equestrian Centre’s Callum Gibson, McKenzie says it’s been a blessing to have someone so talented to learn from.

“He’s taught me from day one.”

Her mum, Sarah Burrell, says that it’s people like Callum who have helped mould the sport into such a passion.

“We’ve been a part of his life for nine years.

“That’s where she started and learnt everything.”